Buffalo Bills Josh Allen jersey raffle to support victims; Will FEMA change flood plan names?
By JOHN ANDERSON
There is hope for storm-affected families who are theoretically not eligible for the $50,000 in emergency relief funds following the storm that hit Steuben and parts of Allegany County on Friday.
After a visit by Governor Kathy Hochul to South Canisteo, where some of the worst damage occurred, Kate Bowie allowed elected officials to hold a press conference in front of her split-in-half home.
After searching the state’s website for the $50,000 in relief funds, Bowie posted a photo of the governor outside her home with the caption, “Dear @govkathyhochul, two days ago you stood outside MY home, talking about MY tragedy and how ‘heartbroken’ it made you. You said you were ‘determined to help the people of this community’. And today I learn that none of that is true because we are not eligible for your funding. You used us for a photo shoot, for your own benefit. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
The Sun published an article about it with a comment from Hochul’s office. Since then, Senator Tom O’Mara, who spoke at the press conference, told the Sun he was “very disappointed with the income limit that Governor Hochul has set for her state aid program.”
On Wednesday evening, Governor Hochul’s office announced that no applications had been rejected because the application process had not yet begun.
A new statement did not say whether the income question would change, but the governor’s office has drawn attention to the issue because Bowie’s post has been shared over 2,200 times.
The new statement to the Sun reads:
“Governor Hochul has deployed multiple state agencies to help communities recover from this weekend’s horrific storm. In addition to grants of up to $50,000 for eligible homeowners, emergency resources such as generators, pumps, debris removal equipment and bottled water have also been distributed throughout the region. Additionally, damage assessment teams are assessing buildings in severely affected areas, and Department of Revenue specialists are on the ground to help affected homeowners with insurance claims. To be clear, no one has been turned down by this program—in fact, applications are not yet open. We will continue to work with community groups and local elected officials to secure the greatest possible assistance for those affected.”
Kate Bowie, a special education teacher in Canisteo-Greenwood for 16 years, and Jen Bowie, a physical education teacher in Hornell and coaches the high school softball team, suddenly find themselves relying more on a GoFundMe page than any other form of help.
“We make too much money because the average income in this area is $60,000? She literally said, ‘We’re going to give $50,000 in cash per family.’ She said nothing about conditions,” Kate Bowie told the Sun. “We’ve lost everything. I have to pay a mortgage on a house I can’t live in. It doesn’t matter what I earn, we can’t afford to live anywhere else.”
Senator Tom O’Mara (center) speaks about the damage in Steuben County. He is joined by Congressman Nick Langworthy (right).
O’Mara said FEMA needs to help residents, adding that making it easier for everyone to access the $50,000 must be a top priority.
“We are pleased that the governor came to the region so soon after the event and offered federal assistance. However, we are very disappointed with the income limit that Governor Hochul has set for her federal assistance program,” O’Mara told the Sun. “She obviously did not mention this significant limitation when we met with affected residents or the media last weekend.”
O’Mara said the fight for change must continue.
“We will continue to advocate for a better, more comprehensive federal relief program. Unless FEMA steps in with individual federal assistance, this type of state financial assistance is entirely at Governor Hochul’s discretion and must be a top priority,” O’Mara said. “We will continue to fight for these changes on behalf of those we represent.”
This story (click HERE) includes a list of GoFundMe accounts to support residents.
There is also a post on Facebook from Amber Crisman that says, “To raise money for the families in Canisteo who lost their homes in the storm and flash floods on August 9th, I will be giving away a signed Josh Allen jersey and a signed Buffalo Sabres jersey.
The cost is $20 and winners will be chosen on Tuesday, August 20th.
Click HERE to enter the Josh Allen Autographed Jersey Contest on Facebook.
Another problem for residents is the flood plain
Janet Thigpen, a certified floodplain manager with the Southern Tier Central Regional Planning Board, joined planning committee members in advocating for support for residents.
Thigpen and the board have written several letters to FEMA, particularly regarding the flooding in Steuben County.
Nothing has been done by FEMA.
However, this publicity may prompt FEMA to consider re-evaluating flood plains in Steuben County.
The STC is headquartered in Corning. A link to its website can be found HERE.
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